You've been wanting to write.
Maybe there's a story you've been meaning to tell. A project you've been putting off. Or that feeling of being a creative person that you'd like to recapture.
But somehow, the impulse to write keeps getting buried by routine. More time passes, and the idea you had gets further away, until you've nearly forgotten about it.
If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. You finally sit down to write, but then a family member or friend needs something. Or a work email comes in.
Even when nobody interrupts us, we often distract ourselves. You forgot to cancel that doctor's appointment. Where's the dog? Some research might be good. Do the dishes in the sink need washing?
Give your writing a place on the calendar. An appointed time, and the accountability of a live workshop, help you keep an idea going.
Stay in touch with your inner writer. Even returning to your writing once a week can keep an idea alive and give it room to develop.
A short, focused window of live workshop time can help your writing flow. You may find yourself accomplishing more than you would in hours on your own.
Upwellers is a safe space for creative exploration. We help you set aside expectations, quiet your inner critic, and give yourself permission to write without self-judgment.
Each workshop begins with a theme or aspect of writing craft. Short writing exercises and conversation open channels that may have become blocked by daily responsibilities and routine.
Putting aside self-limiting thoughts and other people’s narratives, we write in the company of others doing the same. Afterward, we’re invited (with no obligation) to share what we’ve just written, in an atmosphere of support and appreciation.
“I didn't really have much of a writing practice before. It was more, 'I'd like to make time to write, but here are 5,000 distractions instead.' Now, with this commitment, I've set aside dedicated time every week and have written more in these last few months than probably the last few years.”
I lead workshops in a spirit of unwavering respect and kindness. Feedback takes the form of specific appreciations. We encourage creative risk-taking in spontaneous writing, and we celebrate both the magic and the messiness of the process.
At some point in life, many of us stop feeling we are a creative force.
Writing can help us remember that our experiences are unique and have value. And that we have a voice.
As writing becomes a regular part of your life, you may recover a sense of yourself as an artist.
Even writing once or twice a week can change the way we experience the world.
You may find yourself seeing even mundane situations with a writer’s eye. Being curious, and gathering material.
We may even find that, as we exercise our imagination and practice seeing things from different perspectives, we become less rigid in our thinking and more compassionate.
“I find I am observing more in my day-to-day life. Little things I might have ignored before.”
Sundays · 8pm EST / 5pm PST · Live · on Zoom
New here? Your first Sunday Night Write is free, now through October 31. Try it for free →
Build a real practice across a full cycle of Sunday sessions.
Register now →For the ones who already know this is a practice they're keeping.
Register now →Pay by card, or by bank transfer on the eight-week and annual plans.
“The safe space and soothing environment that Kurt creates gives my brain permission to write whatever comes without fear of judgment.”Workshop participant
“I have a new approach to problems, as I process them in my creative writing. It’s been liberating.”Len T.
“A perfect setting for timid writers.”Pat G.
“I feel like I’m writing with my whole being.”Justin B.
Wednesdays · noon EST / 9am PST · Live · on Zoom
Registration isn't open yet — let us know you'd like to be notified when it is, in early 2027.
Build a real practice across a full cycle of Wednesday sessions.
Notify me →For the ones who already know this is a practice they're keeping.
Notify me →Same pricing as The Sunday Night Write. Payment opens when registration does.
Anyone who wants to write. First-time writers and those deep into a novel, script, or poetry collection are equally welcome. If you've been meaning to start for years, this is your place. If you're stuck mid-project, this will get you moving again. If you're not sure you're a “real writer,” as one year-round workshop participant put it, “I am a rank amateur, with no formal experience beyond two undergrad workshops. Despite the fact that most of the others have more experience, I’ve never been made to feel less-than, or in any way deficient. So, I’d encourage anyone to sign up, regardless of experience level.”
Oh, yes. The Sunday Night Write is a place for you to experiment and craft, whether you are working on that book, script, or collection, or you just want to free-write whatever comes to mind because you know it will be fun and help you feel better.
A notebook and a pencil or pen. I encourage you to write your drafts by hand. There's something special in forming letters ourselves, and you might find that it helps you write with less hesitation. Of course, you can draft with a keyboard if you're more comfortable doing so, but you might still bring a notebook for ideas that come up. Consider keeping a notebook that's dedicated to The Sunday Night Write.
A computer or device with a camera and microphone, a free Zoom account, and something to write with.
We have time each week for at least three or four 15-minute writing sprints before sharing. The idea is to keep the words coming without pause. It's always thrilling to see how much creative output can be generated in these short bursts.
I will offer an optional prompt each week. It will be open-ended, and you can start free-writing from the image or idea that I offer, or disregard it, or see if it gives you a new thought about something you want to work on.
We'll do a short meditation before our writing session each week. It includes guided breathing and visualizations to help us clear out the mental clutter of the day and get us into a flow to write freely. I draw from practices I've been doing for decades. You should come out of it feeling refreshed. You don't need any prior experience in meditation to do it. Just listen and follow along!
Yes, we use breakout rooms of three to four writers, so that everyone has time to share at least an excerpt of what they've written. If you don't want to read what you wrote, you are welcome to share your experience of writing or what came to you during the writing hour.
We don't do critiques or suggestions in this generative workshop, unless you ask something specific. You will receive brief, specific appreciations from the other writers instead. Feedback should be limited to an appreciation of the narrator's point of view and noting bright, memorable details and phrases.
That's right. This is a safe space in which to experiment. There's no need to critique generative drafts. They are meant to be rough, and we celebrate messiness, vulnerability, and risk-taking with form and content.
That's absolutely fine! And you can share something you are editing, if you prefer. At some point, though, I may encourage you to try using the flow state for writing new stuff. But the time is yours to use how you like.
We follow the same format each week. The idea is to develop a practice that you can drop into with increasing ease and depth.
It's up to you. This workshop is meant as a practice. For some of us, that's lifelong. I have been part of workshops where participants came every week for many years. Workshop registration is for a maximum of one year at a time, after which you may renew.
Committing to a cycle is part of what makes the practice work. When you've set aside the time and made it a priority, you show up differently. That said, life happens. If you think you're likely to miss two or more sessions, the drop-in option at $38 gives you the flexibility to join when you can. We'd rather you be here than not.
A sense of adventure. The Sunday Night Write is a perfect opportunity to try something new with your writing. Always wanted to try some prose poetry? A different voice? A new story you're not sure where to start on? This is a safe space in which to go beyond your comfort zone.
Have a different question? Just ask.
If you help lead a team, retirement community, wellness or veteran program, or retreat, get in touch to discuss how focused, guided creative writing can enhance the lives of those you serve.
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Kurt Pitzer has spent his career in pursuit of stories, as a longline fisherman, a poet, a teacher, and a journalist reporting from wars and disasters in far-flung places. What he found along the way convinced him that everyone has a story worth telling, and that most people just need the right conditions to tell it. He teaches creative writing through Harvard University's online extension and leads workshops for veterans through the VA Whole Health program. Upwellers grew out of those experiences.
Notes on writing, creativity, and the practice of paying attention.
